The present invention relates generally to methods of searching for available media content; and more particularly, to a method of searching across multiple media content sources via a single user interface.
Interactive user interfaces, ranging from the simple to the extremely elaborate, can be found in many devices. Digital watches are an example of one of the simplest interactive user interfaces. To use the interface provided with most digital watches for adjusting the time, a user presses a button causing the watch""s screen to flash, thereby signaling the user that the watch is ready to receive further input. At that point, the user usually depresses another button and holds the button down until the correct desired time is displayed. After the desired time is displayed, another button is pushed, and normal timekeeping operation is resumed. This is, of course, one of the most rudimentary examples of an interactive user interface. When most people talk about interactive user interfaces, they are referring to more complex user interfaces like the ones used on personal computers. These interfaces allow users to perform actions like changing screen colors, changing the size of elements within the display, changing which elements are displayed, and changing the manner in which they are displayed, merely by touching a button. Somewhere between these two extremes lie the vast majority of interactive user interfaces.
A common user interface that falls between the two extremes of a digital watch and a computer interface is an Electronic Program Guide (EPG). EPGs allow users not only to display information, but also to search through the information using various keys. The search results can be used to schedule reminders to be displayed at designated times, schedule program recording, or perform any number of other functions.
However, EPGs are limited by their very nature. They are designed to display broadcast program listings and to perform simple selection options, which they do very well, but unfortunately, program guides generally do not contain information for media types other than normal broadcast media. In addition, most EPGs have complex and detailed menu systems which users must slog through to find a desired program. In some current products, an Internet web browser is displayed on the same display device used for displaying television programs, possibly in hopes of providing users easy access to Internet media. However, search engines available on the Internet are often as difficult, if not more difficult, to use than EPG menu systems.
A shortcoming of both EPGs and Internet search engines is that they both function efficiently only within limited domains. While web sites may be found on the Internet that contain program listings, finding program listings using one of the common Internet search engines such as Yahoo would be anything but easy for a majority of people. Another problem with many search utilities, particularly those used in EPGs, is that they do not maintain an index of past search results. For example, if a user were to perform a search to identify all football games that were showing on a particular day and then later, the user tried to identify all the basketball games that were showing that day, the user would have to repeat the football game search if he wanted to go back and find the information about the football games again. Some Internet browsers actually do maintain a record of previous pages visited. However, they do not maintain a record of search results. Each time a search is performed, the previous search results are reset. Another drawback of current EPG technology is that many times, if a user wishes to perform a search, particularly an advanced search, the EPG fills the whole display without leaving space for a program currently being viewed by the user.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, EPGs are not designed to identify items of probable user interest from user preferences and habits. For example, suppose that a user watches the 5 o""clock news every weekday at 5:00 p.m. If the user had searched for action movies Sunday night and did not use the EPG again until Monday at 5:00 p.m., most EPGs currently in use would initially display the xe2x80x9caction moviexe2x80x9d search screen or possibly a standard startup screen when, in fact, the user wants to find news programs.
Therefore, what is needed is a user interface, method, system, signal and software that provide a single user interface where content of probable user interest, associated with a plurality of content sources of one or more types, can be searched, displayed and easily accessed.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for searching, accessing and displaying data from various content sources through a single user interface. The method comprises providing a first user selectable object via the single user interface, and providing a second user selectable object via the single user interface. The first user selectable object being a link to a first content source, and the second user selectable object being a link to a second content source, wherein the second content source differs from the first content source. The method also comprises receiving a user generated search query; searching through data available from the first content source and from the second content source for data related to the user generated search query; displaying results of data found from the first content source and/or the second content source determined to be related to the user generated search query. The method further provides a user with a first selectable link for accessing a first relevant data from the found data.
The present invention further provides a system for searching, accessing and displaying data from various content sources through a single user interface. The system comprises at least one processor, memory operably associated with the processor, and a program of instructions configured to be stored in the memory and executed by the processor. The program of instructions is configured to implement a method comprising providing a first user selectable object via the single user interface, and providing a second user selectable object via the single user interface. The first user selectable object being a link to a first content source, and the second user selectable object being a link to a second content source, wherein the second content source differs from the first content source. The method implemented also comprises receiving a user generated search query; searching through data available from the first content source and from the second content source for data related to the user generated search query; displaying results of data found from the first content source and/or the second content source determined to be related to the user generated search query. The method implemented by the program of instructions further provides a user with a first selectable link for accessing a first relevant data from the found data.
Additionally, the present invention provides a computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions for searching, accessing and displaying data from various content sources through a single user interface. The program of instructions comprises the steps of providing a first user selectable object via the single user interface, and providing a second user selectable object via the single user interface. The first user selectable object being a link to a first content source, and the second user selectable object being a link to a second content source, wherein the second content source differs from the first content source. The program of instructions also comprises receiving a user generated search query; searching through data available from the first content source and from the second content source for data related to the user generated search query; displaying results of data found from the first content source and/or the second content source determined to be related to the user generated search query. The program of instructions further provides a user with a first selectable link for accessing a first relevant data from the found data.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a single user interface where content information from a plurality of content sources and types can be searched, displayed, and easily accessed for consumption.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a user interface configured to initially display items of probable user interest.
An advantage of the present invention is that it provides the ability to search for content across a plurality of content sources of one or more types.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it allows users to go directly to consuming content identified in a search by selecting a displayed object.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows a user to initiate a subsequent search for media content based upon items returned by an initial search.
An additional advantage of the present invention is that it provides links to specialized search engines.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the initial states of the displayed menus are configured to include items of probable user interest.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a plurality of objects may be displayed concurrently with tuned media content.